In a conventional wireless communication system, the service area is divided into hexagonal cells. A cell is the basic geographic unit of a cellular system and each cell contains a base station that transmits over a small geographic area. A typical wireless cellular system includes users (mobile units), base stations, and a mobile telecommunications switching office (MTSO). The mobile unit has radio transceiver equipment that communicates with similar equipment in the base station using antennas at both ends. Each base station relays telephone signals between mobile units and an MTSO. The base station not only transmits and receives the radio frequency signals to and from the mobile units, but also processes these signals. The MSTO is in turn connected through links to a public switched telephone network (PSTN). As a user moves from one cell to another, the mobile unit of the user is handed off from one base station to another base station.
Fast moving users (such as the users traveling by car on highways or traveling by train) demand high-bandwidth broadband communication. At typical train speed or even highway speed, the current wireless communication network architectures provide a much lower data rate than desired by the fast moving user. Therefore, the current wireless communication network architecture is unable to solve the problem of combining high-bandwidth broadband communication and fast moving users while keeping a reasonable quality of service.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and architecture for providing high-bandwidth broadband communication to fast moving users.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.